Last week we had a video task where I had to find a short video about music and teaching. Here is the video I found and my thoughts on that.
She mentions Rico reeds and tells that it's a good brand for beginners because the reeds are so thin. I personally hate Rico reeds because they are too thin. One of my students actually bought them and soon enough we both realized how bad they were. Yes, it's easy to make sounds with so thin reed, but the sound quality sucks and messes up your good technique. Just get good Vandoren reeds right from the get go.. they aren't that much expensive really.
Next she tells how to wet your reed. I have always just used my saliva for that but she also explains to wet them in a cup of water. This should make your reed last longer because your saliva breaks down the fibers of your reed over time. I have never heard about this but it seems logical.. I might give it a go and see for myself.
She also mentions that you should throw away your reed after a week or so. I use multiple reeds at the same time and there is a constant cycle between them so I can use them for way longer periods of time. I also have a hygro pack for my reeds which keeps their humidity levels optimal and expands their lifespan. This way I can play with my reeds for a month or two. Of course some reeds are better than others and can easily last longer than that but there are some cases where you just have to throw away the brand new reed because it's just not working. It is a constant struggle for a clarinetist.
She quickly mentions ligatures and how they all do pretty much the same thing. I think she is wrong. Nowadays there are tons of different ligatures; metallic ones, plastic and leather ones and even ones made from bamboo. And the difference in sound is HUGE. So really you just have to find one that suits you... and remember that cost doesn't always guarantee quality when it comes to ligatures.
So there you have it! I hope you learned something new.. atleast I did. :)
- Sinna